Not Sure about DVC

[The Duchess]

I'm still not sure DVC would be right for us....

We only visit WDW every two years or so, usually Halloween week b/c it's our anniversary and our favorite holiday.
Because our visits are only every other year, we enjoy splurging a little and love the Yacht Club. This year we did the Grand Plan, and next trip we're planning on doing the Grand Plan and also staying concierge. I don't want to have to do my own PS arrangements and I like having one person handle all my tours and other bookings for me. I know this sounds snotty, but we literally go nowhere for two years between Disney trips.

So,
My basic questions are:

IF I join DVC, points only apply to my Room Charges, correct?
Do I pay some sort of difference if I want the Grand Plan (now the Platinum Plan, I guess) or is this not an option?

Can I book Concierge with DVC points?

If I can't purchase the Grand Plan, but I can get Concierge, will someone be available prior to my trip to book my PSs, purchase Park Passes, book tours, etc..?

Since we only visit every two years, I will only need to actually purchase a 1/2 the amount of points b/c the points will carry over, correct?

Can I increase my number of points at any time in case we decide to actually take a vacation every year?

Do I need to have a "Villa" as a "Home" resort or can I use the Yacht Club?

Many thanks in advance!!

 

[Granny]

Originally posted by The Duchess

My basic questions are:

IF I join DVC, points only apply to my Room Charges, correct?
Do I pay some sort of difference if I want the Grand Plan (now the Platinum Plan, I guess) or is this not an option?

DVC points are only for accommodations. There are no Grand Plans or Platinum Plans with DVC that I'm aware of.

Can I book Concierge with DVC points?

Yes, you can now book Concierge with DVC points...but this is not a cost effective way to use DVC...the points do not currently trade out to regular resorts in a reasonable manner. You would have to purchase a lot of points and would be better served looking for deals if you want to always stay at a regular resort.

If I can't purchase the Grand Plan, but I can get Concierge, will someone be available prior to my trip to book my PSs, purchase Park Passes, book tours, etc..?

Member Services (who book your DVC reservations) can also make PS arrangements for you. They do not sell park passes or book tours. The DVC's only admissions discount is a length-of-stay pass which features a 10% discount.

Since we only visit every two years, I will only need to actually purchase a 1/2 the amount of points b/c the points will carry over, correct?

You are correct. The term is called "banking", where you switch points from one year to the following. You can only do this for one year...you cannot bank the same year's points for more than one year. You can also "borrow" points, which is the opposite. That is transferring points from one year into the prior year.

Can I increase my number of points at any time in case we decide to actually take a vacation every year?

Disney sells DVC resorts until they are sold out. At this time, Old Key West, Boardwalk Villas and Villas at Wilderness Lodge have been declared sold out by Disney. Beach Club Villas are the only DVC property at WDW currently being sold. Add on points are available if DVC has inventory to sell. Otherwise, you would have to add on points by purchasing from a current owner who wishes to sell.

Do I need to have a "Villa" as a "Home" resort or can I use the Yacht Club?

Yes, the "Villas" are the home resorts. If you want to stay in a regular resort with your DVC points, you are actually trading out of DVC...that's why it's not such a good value to use DVC to stay at resorts.


All in all, if your goal is to stay at WDW resorts instead of the DVC accommodations, I think most would agree that DVC is not a very attractive value.

 

[gonzalj1]

I'll take a quick shot at answering your questions.

IF I join DVC, points only apply to my Room Charges, correct?

Your points can be used for DVC villas, cruise accomodations and stays at "regular" hotels on and off Disney property. The best use of points is to stay at a DVC property. Other properties are there for convenience but are usually not the most economical use of your points.


Do I pay some sort of difference if I want the Grand Plan (now the Platinum Plan, I guess) or is this not an option?

I'm not sure but I don't think you can use points towards these plans. Any one no for sure?


Can I book Concierge with DVC points?

You can at certain resorts. Yacht Club is one of them according to the most recent guide book.

If I can't purchase the Grand Plan, but I can get Concierge, will someone be available prior to my trip to book my PSs, purchase Park Passes, book tours, etc..?

You can call MS and they can handle PSs and the like for you.

Since we only visit every two years, I will only need to actually purchase a 1/2 the amount of points b/c the points will carry over, correct?

You can bank points into the next year or borrow from the upcoming year.

Can I increase my number of points at any time in case we decide to actually take a vacation every year?

You can purchase points at any time. Keep in mind there is a 25 point minimum purchase if paying cash or 50 points if uding Disney financing. Also, points at your home resort may sell out forcing you to add on at a different resort.

Do I need to have a "Villa" as a "Home" resort or can I use the Yacht Club?

You would need to purchase your points from a DVC property. This becomes your home resort. You can now purchase at BCV, Hilton Head and Vero Beach. You cannot use a hotel as your home only a DVC resort.

All this being said I might add that purchasing points with the express purpose of staying at the YC Congierge is probably not the best move. You would need to use a lot of points to stay and the point requirements are subject to change. For example, to stay in the YC concierge for a week next halloween would cost 473 ponts assuming you stay through 11/1. Every year that figure can go up. Just recently changes were made that significantly changed the points needed at the non DVC resorts. While the same stay at the BCV in a 1 bedroom would cost 214 points. The accomodations at the BCV 1 bedroom would be far superior to what you get at the YC concierge.

Sorry I went on so long and I probably confused you more. Hope not. If I did someone will be along in a sec to fix my mixed up logic.

Just a side note, my DW and I purchased thinking we would stay at the GF every year. We haven't been there yet and now don't plan on it after staying in a 2 BR at OKW and a 2 BR at BCV. Larger rooms, jacuzzis, full kitchens and all the other amenities make it a better deal than we could ever get at the GF or YC.

 

[kda]

DVC might not be what you're looking for. Are you aware that there isn't daily housekeeping service? A complete cleaning, with linen change, is done once every 8 days. In the middle of that time the trash is emptied and towels changed once. This turns out to be no problem for us because we keep the room very neat, and it's easy to wash towels and empty the trash in a designated space down the hall. You can 'purchase' additional towels and housekeeping service, if desired.

As others have stated, the real value in DVC points is in staying in the DVC properties, not spending extra points for the standard resorts on a routine basis. If you haven't stayed at a DVC, it could be very helpful for you to give it a try before you make your decision. The studio units might not seem too much different from a resort room, but the one bedroom (or two, if you have a family) is pure heaven. We discovered that the REAL luxury for us is having space ----- separate areas for us to rest and watch TV, a washer/dryer (which means we pack very little), jacuzzi, and kitchen -- not that we use the stove much!

 

[The Duchess]

Wow!
Thanks for the quick responses. I guess DVC isn't much of a match for us at this point. I wish I wasn't so picky because it seems like such a cool idea, but no housekeeping?! Yikes! I'm afraid to ask if there's Room Service. Aso, I would have definately opted for Boardwalk Villas, but I guess that's not an option.

Many Thanks!

 

[anniet]

Room service is available, but I believe BWV is only available through resales right now.

The concept for DVC is that it is a home away from home. Studios are equipped with microwaves and fridge, One bedrooms and larger are equipped with full kitchens and washer/dryers.

If you are used to being waited on while on vacation,however, I agree, DVC may not be the right match for you.

 

[Caskbill]

Keep in mind that DVC is a purchased real estate interest in a Disney DVC resort. It is a TIMESHARE condominium, just like all other timeshare's out there. You buy the real estate interest, and pay annual maintenance dues.

The main difference is you don't purchase, for example, a specific week in a specific unit for each year, like most other timeshares. Instead you purchase 'points' which are then 'spent', with great flexibility, to use your 'timeshare' at different times of the year, for different lengths of trips, for different types of accommodations (Studio, 1-B/R, 2-B/R, 3-B/R units), or even different DVC resorts (WDW: Old Key West, Boardwalk Villas, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club Villas; South Carolina: Disney's Hilton Head Island resort; Florida: Disney's Vero Beach resort.) This is what most of us really like about DVC, the versatility of the program.

New Points are received each year. After paying the initial purchase price of the points you own them from then on. Only annual maintenance fee dues are assigned to each point are paid yearly after that. This is like any other timeshare where you would pay the initial purchase price, and then pay annual maintenance fees after that.

Now just like other timeshares, Disney has a system to trade out into other accommodations. Basically you give your points back to DVC and 'trade' them for some other accommodation outside of DVC. This could be another timeshare under someone else's program (Maybe a Marriott condo in Hawaii, etc.), or take a trip on the Disney Cruise Line, or use points at some other nice resort locations that Disney works with.

You can also trade out to regular Disney World resorts such as the Grand Floridian, or Yacht Club. Basically what Disney does here is take your DVC 'points' and apply them to a regular DVC resort. That DVC resort room is then made available for a cash reservation to some other guest. The cash they receive for that room is then used to 'pay' for the resort room you traded out for. (For example you traded to get into Yacht Club).

For Halloween, October 2003, it would cost 482 points for a 7 day stay at the Yacht Club concierge. For less than that, (476 points), you could stay in a ONE-BEDROOM villa at the Beach Club in Oct/Nov for 16-nights, more than double the time and in an accommodation much larger. It's an apartment, NOT a hotel room.

But like an apartment, it's HOME away from HOME. Full Kitchen, full laundry facilities, separate living room and bedroom, etc etc etc.

Using points outside of DVC in most cases is not a good use of those points, especially if using them to stay at other WDW hotels.

But, for staying in the DVC resorts, this program can't be beat. For example, suppose you want to stay 5-weekday nights in January in a One-Bedroom 'apartment' at Disney's Old Key West resort. It 'costs' 16 points per night. Considering only maintenance fees of about $3.20/point for OKW, that 'cost' is about $51 per night. And there are no taxes. No Florida 11% room tax at all. (In October/November that same villa is 18 points/night). And in all fairness, points used over the Fri/Sat weekend are higher (40 and 41 points/night respectively, but still far less that regular WDW hotel rooms after tax is included)

When Disney rents this same OKW 1-B/R villa out on a cash basis, it goes from anywhere about $200 to $350 / night. Add to that the $22 to $38 / night room tax. (Sometimes discounts are available, but not that often)

If you want tremendous accommodations, don't like being bothered by maids, don't mind doing some simple 'straightening' up the room a little, and want to feel like you're in a home, at a tremendously good price, then DVC is an excellent choice.

If you want to be 'pampered', then stick with something else.

Just my 2-cents.

If you do have any specific questions, feel free to post back. All the members here will be glad to help.

 

[jimmytammy]

I think you have gotten most of your questions answered so I dont want get into that....what I do want to point out is that I dont think you are being "snotty" as you say, sounds to me like you have your priorities in order where vacations are concerned.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

With the money you'll save in DVC accomodations vs the other option you described, you may be able to hire a butler/chef to join you for vacations to provide personal cooking and cleaning. ;-)

 

[chris1gill]

I just wanted to say that to have maid service daily in a studio is only 25.00/day, a 1 bedroom isn't that much more... Combine that with the amenities, the DVC accomodations beat out any concierge room IMHO....

But, back to the OP's questions, I definitely agree DVC isn't for you at this time

 

[The Duchess]

Thank to all. I did notice that there are some Boardwalk Villas listed for Re-Sale, so maybe DVC will be an option for us after all.

Thanks again!!